My daughter and I found a common garden skink stuck to a piece of packing tape from a broken-down cardboard box in the driveway today, Boxing Day 2022.
I thought it was dead, as it had been sitting in the hot Aussie sun, stuck to a Christmas delivery box for who knows how long, but she wasn't so sure, so she removed the tape from the box, brought it inside, and put it on a saucer. She poured a bed of water under the critter for it to drink and to cool it down.
After a few minutes, she noticed it was breathing!
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| It was quite pitiful to see the creature stuck on the tape. |
She grabbed a pair of tweezers and a nail file to try to separate him from the tape, but this was that super strong packing tape used for shipping, and he was entirely stuck, from head to toes to tail.
This lizard was so tiny and delicate that I wasn't sure I wanted to watch it.
After a few more attempts, it was clear that this little bugger was good and stuck!
I suggested the internet, and after a quick surf, I found that vegetable oil may effectively remove some of the adhesive.
So, we tried it.
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| Vegetable oil works well with a little patience. |
Using little drops of oil not to drown the little reptile, it took some time for the oil to soak into the tape.
But when it did - it worked!
She freed the lizard's tail first before moving on to its tiny feet, which I thought would surely break off.
Once the feet were released, it wiggled a bit, which was scary since its little head was still attached.
She moved the operation outside in case he wrestled himself free. After a minute, the little fellow calmed down, and she could remove its head without damaging him.
Although I'm not a fan of critters, I was inspired to see her save its life!
Once totally freed from the tape, the creature scurried away.
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| Now the lizard is slimy and slippery, but free! |
That was definitely work for a doctor!
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